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"Basically, at the grassroots level, the members have told us they want a fight on Bill 115 and that's what's moving forward at this point," said Dave Barrowclough, District 13 (Durham) president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation of Ontario.

Teachers will also come to class just 15 minutes before it starts, as required in the Education Act.

Bill 115 gives local school boards and teacher unions until Dec. 31 to sign new contracts, which must be approved by the minister.

There's an easy way to end this. Dave Barrowclough

Mr. Barrowclough said since the bill also allows the minister of education to end legal strike action and to enact sanctions on an employer -- which she hasn't done yet but has the power to do -- it leaves the union with little room to fight the bill.

He understands parents and students will be upset by extracurricular activities being canceled, but hopes "students can understand what we're fighting for is democratic rights."

"We know it's difficult to understand but these are their future rights," said Mr. Barrowclough.

In November, the Durham District School Board and OSSTF District 13 signed a tentative agreement, which requires approval from the Province before it can be ratified by local members. Mr. Barrowclough said while Education Minster Laurel Broten called it 'workable,' the ministry removed a number of terms.

"As far as we're concerned, we don't have a tentative agreement because the government has overwritten part of it since we signed," he said.

Secondary teachers in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board also reached a tentative deal with their employer, but there's no word on the ratification. Ms. Broten said it was workable as well.

Earlier Monday, the minister blasted the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario for planning one-day strikes throughout December, and blamed union leaders for the current strife.

"This has been and will continue to be about the refusal of union leadership -- not our teachers -- to accept a real pay freeze. It's the union leaders -- not our teachers -- who refuse to accept our shared fiscal realities," she added, referring to the Province's $14.4-billion deficit.

However high school teachers in York Region, Niagara and Hamilton voted down the tentative agreements reached between unions and the boards.

"Union leaders don't vote in this," Mr. Barrowclough said. "It's the members saying 'this is unacceptable and we need to fight for collective bargaining rights.'"

He said the OSSTF has done everything it could to avoid the current situation.

"There's an easy way to end this," he said. "Repeal the bill and allow us to bargain locally with our employer. We can come to an agreement."

But not with the ministry's constant interference, he added.

Ms. Broten said on Friday she has no plans to repeal the bill.

-- With files from Torstar news service

Kristen Calis covers Pickering and writes a pet column for the Metroland Media Group’s Durham Region Division. Anyone with upcoming animal charity events that they would like listed in Kristen’s Kritters can e-mail kcalis@durhamregion.com.